The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-08-11

OVdIA ~WOulO seem TO indicate thaC the
proposed territorial examination
could not be had, for they constitute
ed two of their humber auditors for,
that purpose; Of this more hereafter.
At this meeting the board undertook
to legalize the acts of their clerk in
the matter Of gopher tail certificates.
After appointing D. B. Macarthur
justice of the peace-who has failed:
to qualify-they merged into an ap.
pointment board to fill vacancies in
the two new commissionership dis
tricts, and in this instance perpetrat-
ed an act for which they deserve pub.
lie condemnation, for in the face of a
petition signed by nine. tenths of the
voters in favor of an old citizen,
which they deliberately ignored, they
appointed one who had no petition,
and the very one who as county treas.
urer for two years and a half had
failed to make report and who since
his appointment as commissioner, has
been engaged in auditing his own &C.
counts. Such reckless disregard of
the peoples wishes in the matter of:
appointment of commissioner for the
district and barefaced selection of q
derelict ex.county official to examine
into and report on his own misfeas.
ance looks like an act Of insane infat.
uation.
The first act of the board at its
regular quarterly meeting in July
was to reduce a few assessments, and
in one instance to increase it inordi-
nately.
The first was a violation of law,
the second an act Of unjust discrimi-
nation, and in contravention Of
equity and right. :.
The proposition Of the N. W. Land
Co. to donate a block Of lots in the
new town for county seat purposes
was rejected, and that of Messrs.
Lowrie and Tregent, of 10 acres, on
land adjoining, for same purposes,
was accepted, conditionally. It is
understood that the conditions did
not materialize, and the county is in
the condition of the jack-ass between
two stacks Of hay, or more POLITICALLY !
speaking, like the }ove-lorn laddie.
GLOW happy would I be with
either were tother dear charmer
away"
The board continued in session Q
days and allowed accounts aggregat-
ing $1444. A, of which $915.96 were
to pay gopher bills.
The refusal of the board to pay the
county attorneys bill entails a posi-
BILE expense in the way Of litigation,
and a certain additional expense of
500, which the county will have to
pay. for the reason that the board has
no right to rsduce the pay of that Of
fetal after he has been elected to, and
during the term of, his Office. The
county attorney was willing to accept
$500, and the position taken by the
board costs the county a 800, for he
now has a right to claim $500.
The last meeting of this wonder.
fully wise, yet ruefully remiss board
was held July 10th, at which it could
find nothing. worthier of its attention
than the venting Of its spleen on
their predecessors whom they blamed
by formal resolution for the present
condition Of things, and then pro-
ceeded to appoint two auditors when
the law calls for one only. Several
bills amounting to 1858 were ord
cred paid, among them being $29.67
o fgopher tail accounts.
The total amount of monies order.
ed disbursed is $2485. 10, Of which
1866 were for 1851 gopher-tails.
We thus place before the readers
of the PIONEER and the people of
Bottineau county, condensed state
ment of what has been done by our
servants, the county commissioners
from the LIST of January last, and
have commented on such facts as
they deserve, and have besides, this
to say, that if many things have..taken
place as have been represented some
Of the members haye made themselves
liable to impeachment.
Next week we shall endeavor to
show wherein the board has signally
failed to discharge its duty to the
people in emitting to do many things
which their interests and welfare de-